Solar Project

Solar Project

In 2019, 100 Ames Street Realty LLC (or “ASR”, which represents Young Israel of Sharon and Striar Hebrew Academy of Sharon) entered into a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with 621 Energy and its financial partner, Spring Hill Solar, LLC to install a 70.2 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system at 100 Ames Street.

Spring Hill Solar LLC has built, owns, and maintains the PV system at no cost to ASR. ASR buys the clean solar electricity at a low and stable rate below the local utility price, providing long-term protection against rising electricity costs. ASR pays only for the electricity generated and has the right to purchase the system after year 6 of the PPA and receive all electricity savings and SMART incentives. As part of this project, Spring Hill Solar has financed the structural reinforcement and re-shingling of the roof.

Construction started in August 2019 and the solar panels themselves were installed in September. After some delays with Eversource installing a new electrical panel, the system went live in mid-January, of 2020, at which point, we officially went solar!

The panels are projected to generate nearly 70,000 kWh in the first year, which represents about 75% of current building usage. In some months we would generate more energy than the building needs, in which case the extra energy will be sold by Spring Hill Solar. In other months, we wouldn’t generate enough, but since we’re still connected to the electrical grid, we would simply purchase that energy from Eversource. Solar panels tend to last for over 30 years, generating just a bit less each year.

Members of our community are no doubt aware that generating electricity with solar panels provides a number of environmental benefits as compared to generating electricity by burning coal or natural gas. These include reduced pollution, and reduced greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

For more information, you can see our public dashboard below or by clicking here.